Uproar in Assembly over renaming Jyoti Basu Nagar

Uproar broke out in West Bengal Legislative Assembly today, with the main opposition Left Front demonstrating against the Speaker for "arbitrarily" changing the format of a question by the Leader of Opposition on naming Rajarhat New Town as Jyoti Basu Nagar.

Soon after the House began with Question Hour, Speaker Biman Banerjee allowed the Leader of Opposition Surjya Kanta Mishra to ask his question on naming New Town Kolkata as Jyoti Basu Nagar as listed in the House. But, Mishra alleged the format of the question he submitted, was changed entirely without consulting him and definitely with some political purpose.

Mishra also protested in the House stating state Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim had given a wrong statement in the House on the status of the New Town Kolkata Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2011 passed by the erstwhile LF government naming New Town Kolkata as Jyoti Basu Nagar.

While the minister said in the House that Governor M K Narayanan had returned the Bill without giving his assent, the Governor had told them yesterday he was not aware of it, Mishra said.

Angry over this, all LF members rushed to the Well of the House flashing placards and shouting slogans against the change of the question and subsequent developments.

The House, however, was not adjourned and continued with all its business till recess amidst uproarious scene with the LF members shouting slogans against the Chair.

The LF legislators later observed a sit-in demonstration outside the House and boycotted the second half of the Assembly proceedings in protest. Mishra later on told reporters that their agitation over the issue would continue till, "the Speaker acted impartially".

The LF members had yesterday staged a walk out from the Assembly protesting against withdrawal of the New Town Kolkata Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2011, which named New Town as Jyoti Basu Nagar, after the name of the state's longest serving Chief Minister.

The New Town Kolkata Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2013, moved by the state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs minister Firhad Hakim, was passed in the House yesterday in their absence, introducing provisions to collect property tax from those residing there or running establishments in this planned city. Congress members were also boycotting proceedings of the House on another issue since Monday last.